Apparatus for deodorizing or treating clothes in a clothes drier



A nl 1, 1969 J. F.RUMSEY. JR A APPARATUS FOR DEODORIZING OR TREATINGCLOTHES IN A CLOTHES DRIER Filed June 20, 196'? JOSEPH F. RUMSEY, Jr.INVENTOR.

FIG. 4. BY WM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,435,537 APPARATUS FORDEODORIZING OR TREATING CLOTHES IN A CLOTHES DRIER. Joseph F. Rumsey,J12, 1708 W. Main St., Oklahoma City, Okla. 73106 Filed June 20, 1967,Ser. No. 647,475 Int. Cl. F26b 21/14 US. CI. 34-72 3 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A container on the inner surface of the door of a clothesdrier and of a size to be received in the drier opening when the door isclosed, vents in the surface of the container and means receiving avolatile deodorizing pellet or other chemical in the container in amanner whereby the hot air of the drier, circulated by the rotary actionof the drier and tumbling clothes, vaporizes the pellet or chemical withthe result that the vapor penetrates the clothes in the drier.

This invention relates to clothes driers of the type having a door andfront opening, a clothes receiving basket which rotates about ahorizontal axis and means supplying hot air to the interior of thedrier. The invention has reference to a deodorizer in combination with adrier of the type referred to and has for its primary object theprovision of an inexpensive construction for the described purpose.

Another object is to provide a deodorizing construction which does nothave any moving parts, but instead utilizes currents of hot air employedin the drying of clothes.

A further object is to provide a deodorizer as referred to and which, inits preferred construction, melts and vaporizes a tablet, yet whichconstruction, though vented, provides a receptacle for any resultingliquid.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a broken perspective view of the front of a front loaderclothes drier with the door open and showing a preferred form of theinvention mounted on the door.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded vertical sectional and side elevational view ofa drier door and a container according to the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a broken vertical sectional view, similar to the rightcenter portion of FIGURE 2, showing a modified form of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a further modified and smaller form ofthe invention, and

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view of a container such as shown inFIGURES 1 and 2, but wherein the vent holes are circular rather thanradial slots.

In FIGURES 2 and 3 the parts in section are cross hatched to indicatesynthetic resin, for example, polysytrene, but it is understood thatthese same parts may be of other material, for example, metal. Referencehas been made to volatile pellets for deodorizing, but other chemicalsmay be used such as moth balls for mothproofing, perfume and so on.Also, liquid chemicals may be used, but the referred to pellets arepreferred.

In the drawing the numeral generally designates a clothes drier having acircular opening 11 in its front wall and a door 12 for closing theopening. Slidable or otherwise movable brackets 13 support the door 12in a horizontal position when the door is open. Not shown, the drier 10includes a perforated tumrbler or basket which rotates about ahorizontal axis and means circulating hot air through the basket fordrying the clothes. Details 3,435,537 Patented Apr. 1, 1969 of a typicaldoor construction are shown in section in FIGURE 2 and wherein there areoutside and inside sheet metal panels14 and 15 having an insulatingfiller 16 therebetween and a circular groove 17 in the inner panel 15receiving a gasket 18 of a diameter to fit around the drier opening 11.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURES l and 2 includes a circularcontainer 19 in the form of a shallow cone having a skirt 20therearound. The periphery of the skirt 20 is secured to the inner panel15 of the door 12 by any suitable means, for example, liquid or pastebonding material capable of serving the described purpose. As shown inFIGURES 4 and 5, laterally projecting tabs 21 may be provided around theskirt 20 for bonding the container 19 in place.

The center of the container 19 has a projecting tubular neck 22 and aperforated wall 23 therein for receiving and locating a deodorizingpellet 24, shown by dotted lines in FIGURE 4. A press fit perforated capcovers the end of the tubular neck 22.

By way of example and not as a limitation, a pellet such as 24 may becomprised of 12% sodium stearate, 28% deionized water, 21%triethanolamine, 16% glycerine, and 3% perfume. All ingredients exceptthe perfume are mixed in a suitable container, heated to C. or until thesodium stearate is dissolved. The mixture is then cooled to 50 C. atwhich time the perfume is added, and after which the mixture is pouredinto molds. However, it is to be understood that the particularchemicals or mixtures used are not a part of the claimed invention. :Inall forms of the invention there are vent holes in the container 19 andin all forms shown, except FIGURE 5, these are radial slots 26 whichserve as vent holes, but in all cases the vent holes are arranged sothat liquefied pellets or liquid chemicals will not drain from thecontainer 19 before vaporizing.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURE 3 is similar to theconstruction of FIGURE 1, but instead of the projecting pellet receivingneck 22 there is a perforated cup 27 inwardly of the center of thecontainer 19, and instead of the cap 25 there is a flanged perforatedcylindrical closure 28 removably received in the rim of the cup.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURE 4 is of relatively smalldiameter and eliminates the use of caps or closures such as 25 or 28.Like the first described forms of the invention, it has the radiallyslotted vent holes 26. The pellets 24 are inserted in a slot 29 in thecontainer 19 near the top thereof and fall to the bottom where there areno vent holes.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURE 5 is identical with the firstdescribed form of the invention, except that the vent holes 30 are roundinstead of slotted. As before, there are no vent holes near the bottomcenter of the container 19 so as to retain liquid until evaporated.

In view of the foregoing it is believed that the operation will beapparent. However, it is pointed out that in the forms of the inventionillustrated in FIGURES l, 2, 3 and 5 the circulation of hot air passesthrough the cap 25 or closure 28, over the pellet 24 and out through thevent holes 26 or 30. In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE4, the hot air passes in and out through the vent holes 26. In any case,according to the invention, the vapor penetrates the clothes beingdried.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary constructions herein shownand described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for deodorizing or treating clothes in a clothes drierhaving a front loading door and wherein hot air circulates within thedrier, said apparatus being comprised of a container secured to theinner surface of said door and of a size to be received in the drierwhen the door is closed, vent holes in the outer surface of saidcontainer, means supporting and exposing a volatile chemical in saidapparatus and wherein said means supporting and exposing a volatilechemical in said apparatus is comprised of a neck in the outer center ofsaid container, a transverse perforated wall in said neck, and aperforated cap over the outer end of said neck.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein said means supportingand exposing a volatile chemical in said apparatus is comprised of aperforated cup in the outer surface of said container and a removableperforated closure in the rim of said cup.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein said means supportingand exposing a volatile chemical in said 4 apparatus is the interiorbottom portion of said container, and including a chemical receivingslot in said container above said bottom portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,364,588 1/1968 Ziegler 34-433XR FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

HARRY B. RAMEY, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

